Citing Late Husband’s Illness, Fla. Congresswoman Co-sponsors Pancreatic Cancer Bill

Wed, February 04, 2009 - 10:21 AM

Citing the death last year of her husband, Harvey Waite, U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite today announced that she has again joined in the introduction of a bill that would creates a Pancreatic Cancer Initiative.

Brown-Waite of Brooksville is the lead Republican co-sponsor of the measure, H.R. 75, which was introduced by Democratic Rep. Anna Eshoo of California.

“Sadly I learned first hand last year the horrible facts about pancreatic cancer,” said Brown-Waite, in a statement.

“When my husband Harvey was first diagnosed at stage four, it was already too late. While he fought the good fight, it became clear to me that much more needs to be done in terms of early detection, treatment and in the search for a cure,” she said.

Under the bill, also called the Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act, a National Pancreatic Cancer Initiative would be established to provide a greater focus on the disease and give the National Cancer Institute the necessary tools to discover ways to diagnose and treat pancreatic cancer in its early stages.

-- Billy House, Media General News Service